Cosmetic container construction



ZB, i967 w. J. LANDEN 333953@ COSMETIG CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION Filed Sept. 16, 1965 ORNE .5

United States Patent() 3,310,168 CSMETIC CONTAINER CONSTRUCTION William .lames Landen, Cheshire, Conn., assignor to The International Silver Company, Meriden, Conn., a corporation of Connecticut Filed Sept. 16, 1963, Ser. No. 309,259 7 Claims. (Cl. 206-56) My invention relates to cosmetic or the like container constructions and is particularly applicable to a swivel propel-repel variety made principally of plastic parts.

It is an object to provide an improved container construction of the character indicated.

A specific object is to provide a basic, expensive, reliable, easy actin-g and foolproof mechanism which lends itself, with some degree of universality, to employment with a wide variety of outer casing configurations, depending on customer requirements.

Another specific object is to provide a mechanism meeting the above objects and inherently retaining its assembled relation, with a minimum of parts and assembly operations.

`Other objects and various further lfeatures of novelty and invention will be pointed out or will occur to those skilled in the art from a reading of the following specification, in conjunction with the accompanying drawings. In said drawings, which show, for illustrative purposes only, a preferred form of the invention:

FIG. 1 is a view in elevation, partly broken away and in longitudinal section, showing an assembled container of the invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the inner tubular member of FIG. 1;

FIG. 3 is a fragmentary vie-w in elevation, illustrating assembly of the carrier to the inner tubular member of FIG. l;

FIG. 4 is a longitudinal cross-sectional view of the outer tubular member of FIG. l; and

FIG. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary View in elevation, showing cam-follower formation on the carrier of FIG. 1.

Briefly stated, the invention contemplates an improved rotary or swivel lipstick or the like container of the variety in which the carrier is assembled via the inner end of the inner tubular member. Novel cooperative bead and recess formations on plastic inner and outer tubular members involves slight local deformation of the parts to assure snap-retention for permanent assembly. The helical thread recesses of the outer tubular member coact wit-h the cam-follower for snap-engagement when the bead-recess formations are engaged. If desired, an outer casing, which may be of metal, may be press-fitted over the outer tubular member to enhance the decorative appearance and to render the outer tubular member substantially nondeformable, for more permanent and secure retention of the assembly.

Referring to the drawings, my invention is shown in application to a propel-repel cosmetic container having a closure cap 1t) for closing the .applicator end of the mechanism. A rod 11 of cosmetic substance is carried by an elongated cylindrical carrier member 12, guided within the cylindrical bore 13 of an inner tubular member 14'. The inner tubular member 14 is circumferentially continuously formed at its applicator end and in the form shown is in one piece of plastic material which may be nylon, Delrin, polypropylene, `or equivalent material. Preferably, the applicator end is relatively stiff and non- 3,319,168 Patented Mar. 21, 1967 lCC deformable and is, there-fore, shown, as at 15, with a relatively thick -cr-oss-section as compared with thevrear portion of the inner tu-bular member 14 indicated at 16 to be relatively thin and therefore deformable.

It will be appreciated that clearances have been shown slightly exaggerated for purposes of the drawing and that close tolerances will permit easy action, relatively free of radial play or shake. The Ilit, therefore, between the carrier 12 and the bore of the inner tubular member 14 may be such as to snugly support and guide the carrier for its full range of operation.

The front end of the inner tubular member (that is, at the applicator end 1S) may be cut on a bias, as shown at 17, for better conformity with the lips, for application purposes. An enlarged cir-cumferentially extending shoulder 18 is provided at the base of the applicator portion with one or more angularly spaced ridges 19 for friction engagement with and removable retention of the closure cap 10, as will be understood, the shoulder 18 providing a stop for the closure cap 10.

vThe carrier 12 is also preferably formed -of plastic and integrally carries cam-follower means, indicated at 20. This cam-follower means engages an elongated slot 21 in the inner tubular member, which slot 21 extends out the rear or inner end of the inner tubular member 14, as shown in FIG. 2. It will be appreciated that this open end in the slot 21 facilitates insertion of the carrier 20 through the inner end of the inner tubular member, there being a local spreading deformation of the side walls of the slot 21 in the process.

In the form shown, the inner tubular member also includes a second slot 22, `opposite the first slot 21, for engagement with a second cam follower 20', similarly spaced from the first cam follower 2t). Thus, upon insertion of the cam follower of the carrier 12 into the open inner end of the inner tubular member 14, the cam follower Ztl may be caused to clear the closed end of the slot 22 by temporarily outwardly deforming the closed walls of the open slot 21. This assembly operation is depicted in FIG. 3, and it will be understood that, when both cam followers Ztl and Ztl have been seatedin their respective slots, the inner tubular member will reassume its intended and initial c-ylindrical shape.

In the form shown, the outer surface of the inner tubular member additionally includes a bead formation 23 `which is preferably circurn'ferentially continuous and located adjacent to a shoulder and land 24, adjacent to the shoulder 18. This bead 23 serves to axially locate the outer tubular member 25 after it has been assembled to the inner tubular member.

The outer tubular member (see FIG. 4) is shown to be of elongated cylindrical formation and again is preferably made of one piece of plastic. At its open end, its bore includes a circumferentially extending continuous lbead-receiving groove or recess 26, and, communicating from that location to the rear or inner end of the outer tubular member is a helical recess or thread 27, which is preferably of the double-lead variety, so that each of the interlaced threads thereof may uniquely receive a different one of the cam followers Gil-202 By reference to FIG. 5, it will be seen that preferably each of the cam followers includes a lower or base portion 2S sized to closely fit and be guided by the elongated slot 21 or 22 with which it may be engaged, and the outer projecting part 29 is of reduced section and is preferably domed or rounded, as shown. This rounded shape conforms with the preferred recess contour for each of the u threads 27-27 which are interlaced to form the duallead helix.

The helical thread recesses for the outer tubular member preferably extend substantially the full internal length of the outer tubular member, from the location of bead 26 to the inner end. As the inner end, an inwardly extending base or flange is apertured to provide for air escape during assembly and at the same time to dene a stop for the most retracted position of the carrier 12. For a similar purpose of air expulsion the base of the carrier 12 is also preferably apertured, as indicated at 12 in FIG. 5.

For assembly purposes, the diametrical extent of the bead 23 substantially conforms to the spread between outer limits of the two cam followers Z-Ztl, and the bore of the outer tubular member should be such as to interfere with axial insertion of the outer tubular member over the bead 23; stated in other words, the resilient nature of the plastic involved in either or both of the inner and outer tubular members is such as to permit slight local relative deformation upon rst assembly of the bead 23 into the bead-receiving recess 26; once engaged by snap action, the parts return to their original undeformed shape. It will be understood that the described snap-retention of the bead and groove at 23-26 is accompanied by similar snap-retention of the tips of cam followers -20 in their respective threads 2'7-27.

Preferably assembly is complete by enclosing with an outer cup-shaped casing 31, which may be of metal and of any decorative configuration desired to suit the particular customers requirements. Being of metal, this member 31 is relatively non-deformable; it is preferably assembled with a press t over the outer tubular member 25. To facilitate permanent retention of the parts, the outer tubular member 25 is preferably formed with a slight taper, ranging from a maximum diameter at location A in FIG. 4 to a minimum at location B. The extent of the taper should be such as to create interefrence between the lit of the open end of casing 31 with the outer surface of inner tubular member 25 just prior to full insertion, in other words, at a location intermediate points A and B and preferably nearer to location A. Once the press fit has been accomplished, the outer tubular member is rendered relatively non-deformable and, therefore, it is virtually impossible to separate the assembled parts.

It will be seen that I have described an improved cosmetic container construction in which the parts are permanently retained without impairing ease of action and without requiring any additional parts beyond those basic to any propel-repel mechanism. The nature of the propelrepel construction is such that it lends itself to adaptation to a variety of outer casing (31) shapes, depending upon the customers particular wishes in this regard. The construction is thus a universally adaptable mechanism, and no matter how adapted it will still perform with the same ease and reliability of action obtained by grasping and relatively rotating the shoulder 1S and the casing 31.

While I have described the invention in detail for the preferred form shown, it wil be understood that modifications may be made within the scope of the invention as defined in the claims which follow.

I claim:

1. A cosmetic container or the like, comprising an inner tubular member of stitlly yieldable plastic material and having a cylindrical bore containuously communicating between an outer applicator end and an inner end to Ibe closed, said applicator end having a circumferentially continuous applicator lip through which cosmetic substance is to be retractably dispensed, a circumferentially extending retaining bead on the outer surface of said inner tubular member at a location intermediate the ends thereof, said inner tubular member having an elongated cam slot extending substantially from a point short of said bead location to said inner end, the material of said inner end being relatively thin and resilient to permit spreading deformation at the open end of said slot, an elongated tubular carrier guided by said bore for reciprocation therein, said carrier being integrally formed with a radially outwardly projecting cam follower received in said slot and including a trip projecting radially beyond said slot to substantially the diameter of said bead, and an outer tubular member or stiftly yieldable plastic material circumferentially continuously overlapping the slotted part of said inner tubular member and rotatably supported by said inner tubular member, the bore of said outer tubular member having near its end adjacent said bead a circumferential recess matching said bead and a recessed helical thread extending substantially from said circumferential recess to substantially the other end of said outer tubular member, the depth of said circumferential recess and of said helical-thread recess being substantially the same, whereby permanent assembly may be completed by rst inserting said carrier through the outwardly deformed inner end of said inner tubular member, and by then inserting the slotted end of said inner tubular member into said outer tubular member, the interference between said bead and the bore of said outer tubular member being slight enough to permit local deformation and snap-retention upon axial assembly, the cam follower being permanently received in said helical recess when said bead deforms said outer tubular member.

2. A container according to claim 1, in which said carrier includes two like cam followers at angularly spaced locations, said inner tubular member having similarly spaced elongated slots at least one of which terminates short of the inner end of said inner tubular member, thereby defining an inner axial stop for said carrier.

3. A container according to claim 2, in which said helical thread recess has a double lead and said cam followers are dimetrically opposite, whereby each cam follower is always received in a thread unique to itself and propulsion thrust is axially symmetrically developed.

4. A container according to claim 1, wherein the tip of said cam follower is rounded, whereby easily cammed local deformation of said outer tubular member accompanics assembly of said cam follower into the helical thread recess.

5. A container according to claim 1, and including an external casing having a tubular bore closed lat one end, said outer tubular member being press-tted into said casing bore.

6. A container according to claim 5, in which the external surface of said outer tubular member is characterized by a gradual inward taper converging from said bead-receiving end to said inner end, the open end of said casing bore interfering with said taper at a location short of said bead-receiving end, whereby upon pressfitted assembly of said casing over said outer tubular member, said outer tubular member is rendered substantially less deformable vand permanent retention of the assembly is assured.

7. A cosmetic container or the like, comprising an inner tubular member having a cylindrical bore continuously communicating between an outer applicator end and an inner end to be closed, said applicator end having Ia circumferentially continuous applicator lip through which cosmetic substance is to be retractably dispensed, a circumferentially extending retaining bead on the outer surface of said inner tubular member at a location intermediate the ends thereof, said inner tubular member having an elongated cam slot extending substantially from a point short of said bead location to said inner end, the material of said inner end being relatively thin and resilient to permit spreading deformation at the open end of said slot, an elongated carrier guided by said bore for reciprocation therein, said carrier being integrally formed with a radially outwardly projecting cam follower received in said slot and including a tip projecting radially beyond said slot to substantially the diameter of said bead, and an outer tubular member circumferentially continuously overlapping `the slotted part of said inner tubular member and rotatably supported by said inner tubular member, one of said tubular members being of stily yieldable plastic material, the bore of said outer tubular member having near its end adjacent said bead a circumferential recess matching said bead and a recessed helical thread extending substantially from said circumferential recess to substantially the -other end of said outer tubular member, the depth of said circumferential recess and of said helical-thread recess being substantially the same, whereby permanent assembly may be completed by rst inserting said carrier through'the outwardly deformed inner end of said inner tubular member, and by then inserting the slotted end of said inner tubular member into said -outer tubular member, the interference between said bead and the bore of `said outer tubular member being slight enough to permit local deformation and snap-retention upon axial assembly, the cam follower being permanently received in said helical recess when said bead deforms said outer tubular member.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 2,079,131 5 1937 Reichenbach et al. 206-56 2,345,315 3/ 1944 Anderson 206-56 2,461,790 2/ 1949 Vaughn. 3,083,822 4/ 1963 `Clark 206-56 3,230,960 1/1966 Moore et al 206-56 X 3,256,980 6/1966 Bau 206--56 FOREIGN PATENTS 853,850 12/1939 France. 1,030,236 3/1953 France.

512,961 2/1955 Italy.

THERON E. CONDON, Primm Examiner.

M. L. RICE, Assistant Examiner. 

1. A COSMETIC CONTAINER OR THE LIKE, COMPRISING AN INNER TUBULAR MEMBER OF STIFFLY YIELDABLE PLASTIC MATERIAL AND HAVING A CYLINDRICAL BORE CONTAINUOUSLY COMMUNICATING BETWEEN AN OUTER APPLICATOR END AND AN INNER END TO BE CLOSED, SAID APPLICATOR END HAVING A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CONTINUOUS APPLICATOR LIP THROUGH WHICH COSMETIC SUBSTANCE IS TO BE RETRACTABLY DISPENSED, A CIRCUMFERENTIALLY EXTENDING RETAINING BEAD ON THE OUTER SURFACE OF SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER AT A LOCATION INTERMEDIATE THE ENDS THEREOF, SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING AN ELONGATED CAM SLOT EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM A POINT SHORT OF SAID BEAD LOCATION TO SAID INNER END, THE MATERIAL OF SAID INNER END BEING RELATIVELY THIN AND RESILIENT TO PERMIT SPREADING DEFORMATION AT THE OPEN END OF SAID SLOT, AN ELONGATED TUBULAR CARRIER GUIDED BY SAID BORE FOR RECIPROCATION THEREIN, SAID CARRIER BEING INTEGRALLY FORMED WITH A RADIALLY OUTWARDLY PROJECTING CAM FOLLOWER RECEIVED IN SAID SLOT AND INCLUDING A TRIP PROJECTING RADIALLY BEYOND SAID SLOT TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE DIAMETER OF SAID BEAD, AND AN OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER OR STIFFLY YIELDABLE PLASTIC MATERIAL CIRCUMFERENTIALLY CONTINUOUSLY OVERLAPPING THE SLOTTED PART OF SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER AND ROTATABLY SUPPORTED BY SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER, THE BORE OF SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER HAVING NEAR ITS END ADJACENT SAID BEAD A CIRCUMFERENTIAL RECESS MATCHING SAID BEAD AND A RECESSED HELICAL THREAD EXTENDING SUBSTANTIALLY FROM SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL RECESS TO SUBSTANTIALLY THE OTHER END OF SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER, THE DEPTH OF SAID CIRCUMFERENTIAL RECESS AND OF SAID HELICAL-THREAD RECESS BEING SUBSTANTIALLY THE SAME, WHEREBY PERMANENT ASSEMBLY MAY BE COMPLETED BY FIRST INSERTING SAID CARRIER THROUGH THE OUTWARDLY DEFORMED INNER END OF SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER, AND BY THEN INSERTING THE SLOTTED END OF SAID INNER TUBULAR MEMBER INTO SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER, THE INTERFERENCE BETWEEN SAID BEAD AND THE BORE OF SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER BEING SLIGHT ENOUGH TO PERMIT LOCAL DEFORMATION AND SNAP-RETENTION UPON AXIAL ASSEMBLY, THE CAM FOLLOWER BEING PERMANENTLY RECEIVED IN SAID HELICAL RECESS WHEN SAID BEAD DEFORMS SAID OUTER TUBULAR MEMBER. 